And That's How It Goes
by random-randomize
Summary: I might be falling hard, falling, falling, and never go back again. "La Vie en Rose, Ino-chan"
1. What Really Matter

I don't own Naruto.

So I heard Michael Bubble album: Sings Totally Blonde yesterday and today. I just love his songs. Although when I saw his face, it reminds me of elvis presley. He's just like Frank Sinatra and those oldies, his songs I mean. I just love it that his lyrics are very down to earth. It helps me a lot with a mess that to be called feeling.

I wrote this a long time ago. At first I wanted to use it for my chapter in The wind is whistling. "It's not that I don't try, or maybe I tried too hard," perhaps that is my feeling about this. I vent and vent, and then 'That's How it Goes' born today. Don't bother with grammar, or maybe some of you find this amusing, totally annoying because of the messed up grammar. One-shot? Chapters? I don't know. I'll just get with the flow.

I just cannot think anymore.

Enjoy, thank you, review if you feels like it, comments, whatever.

"So, _that's how it goes......_"

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Call me irresponsible, call me unreliable, call me a loser, because that what I feel now. Staring at her blue eyes, losing my gaze, my thoughts wandering away up and above the eleventh cloud. I knew it's true.

Call me unpredictable, call her an unknown factor, call everybody in the street dust sparkle in the galaxy miles away. God, I feel like crazy. Crazy for her.

She's everything. A falling star, a wish come true, I think it is not even possible to be this crazy out of the blue. My everything. May god forgive me, may late hokages laugh at me, may fisherman pull me on the string out of the ocean, because I don't think I can pull myself out of this endless sight of her.

Life is a wonderful thing. May the distance make heart wonder. God know I'm falling over heel with her all over again.

That's life my dear, always expect the unexpected.

Seeing her talking to genin candidate in front of the class, I feel like my legs turned into jelly. I cannot deny it. She had turned into a beautiful butterfly, my butterfly. Would you be my butterfly, Ino?

I think it's almost impossible to smile without breaking my jaw. I lost my gaze in her every movement, again.

If this is a dream, I hope I will never wake up.

I smile softly.

She finished her class and collecting books from every table as the kids running out of the building, excited because the lesson is over and done. Walking, her graceful movement, her delicate hands, the little frustation from a few paper strewn all over the place.

She is all that I see. May people laugh, may deities grin, may mockingbirds howl. She is the extraordinary. She is the one I can only watch from afar, yet all that I cannot have.

She was just gave the finishing touch to this class and examine the room. And then I know I was found. I must be letting my guard down a little there; and the odd thing is, I do not mind in the slightest.

Her eyes sparkle, connecting her gaze to me.

"Hello, Ino." I smile again.

I wish this beating heart would stop.

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**And That's How It Goes**

_What Really Matter_

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"_Ya soshla s uma" _

_-Alice Cullen_

_(Crestfallen Souls)_

The sky was beautiful tonight. Stars aligned perfectly up there and the breeze was just warm in the end of this spring. Compared with my cold and sweaty hands, I think it was good enough for us to dine out. I stood hesitantly outside her door. My hand half reached the knob, afraid to knock. What if I make a fool of myself? What if my simple jeans and t-shirt were not enough for her? Was she even want to accept small boquet I brought? These thoughts made me step back from that double door.

Deep breath, woman. Calm, calm. Smooth, like a river.

Okay, I can do this. Just get one hand to that bleeding wood and knock, nay? No problem. Should be fine, suppose to. And just as my hand reached halfway once again, the door opened on its own.

"Why, hello Sakura dear." Kana greeted me at that porch. "Come in, come in. Don't just freeze up out there." She walked inside, gesturing me to come too. I followed dutifuly.

"Konichiwa, Kana-san. How are you and Inoichi-san?" I smiled, plastering the best expression of politeness of a suitor.

"Just fine as always. The store is not as busy this lately, and we were thinking about taking holiday for two." Kana sat on the nearby couch. From here I could see Inoichi sat on the dining table in the kitchen, sipping his mug while reading newspaper. "Honey, Sakura is here. Can you please call Ino to hurry up?" Inoichi looked up from his reading and gave me a smile.

"Sakura-chan!" Inoichi looked genuinely happy. He walked to me and patted me, ruffling my hair. "It has been a long time. How are things going, kiddo?"

I pouted mockingly, expressing my pain. "I'm just fine." I swayed his hand playfully, giving him raspberry. "And for your information, I am not a kid anymore."

Inoichi just laughed.

True, these past years I had grown significantly. I became taller, more womanly. Aside from constant training, battle, and a little bit adventure here and there, my figure seemed to adjusted to its need. Perhaps my soul started pulling on my features. "And you, oji-san?"

"Well, as you can see it," Inoichi grinned, flashing v-sign to me, "still as handsome as I ever be."

I think I can see where Ino's habit came from. I gave a grin of my own. Then Inoichi shouted before I could say anything.

"Ino, Sakura-chan is already here! Just finish whatever you've been doing quickly!!!"

"In a minute!" came Ino's response from upstairs in a room somewhere. Ino's voice was muffled by multiple doors and walls, so I could not identify whether her voice had gotten deeper or not. Then bangs and crashes and multiple cursing sounded from nearby. I smiled. That's the cue for my klutz.

I was having difficulty holding laughter as Ino rushed downstairs, trying not to trip herself by stacks of boxes of flowers and stems. "Hey." Ino smiled, half panting. She sounded as rushed as her action before. Just like she had been running miles beforehand.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned for her well-being, aside from her rushing that is.

"Yeah." Ino breathed. "Just give me a sec."

Just what have she been doing anyway?

"I was looking up a few scroll I do not understand and practiced a bit. Guess I lost the track of time and almost forgot our date." Ino answered, as if she could hear my thought, and she shrugged.

I could not tell if Ino was blushing or not from the flush of her cheek, or maybe because she ran all the way here. Yamanaka residence was not as large as Hyuuga or Uchiha, but it was bigger than normal house, aside from the store downstairs. And me?

I tried to hold my expression, masking my feeling at that moment. Feeling elated, excited, happy, that might be it. After a few meeting with Ino, I think I was able to repair that leaking dam in my heart, which spilling my feeling and longing for her. There was a hole in my heart before, but Ino's existence alone intrude the space almost violently, making me almost tumbled all over. Filling me with an unknown contentment. And surprisingly, warmth.

Now, being with her at this place, even in her home with her parents, I think it does not matter. Even in the crowds, it does not matter. With Ino, I feel like I was at home wherever I go.


	2. Fishing Koi in The Pond

_**pigtopus**: And here goes chapter two_

* * *

_I already know._

"Fool! Bring out less force in your palm! Concentrate on your chakra!"

So she just did that, flexing her palm forward and she spun. Sakura unleashed her inner coil.

_I'm different._

"Feel the flow. Loosened your arm to the right! Repeat it again!"

_You really are,... Annoying._

Uchiha Sasuke was just a boy.

Water like rain fell from her cheek. Her back already soaked and her eyes never leave its captive.

"Concentrate! You are _shinobi_!"

Uzumaki Naruto was a dreamer.

_From here on out..., we all begin new paths._

She breathed deeply, dodging various projectiles while maintaining her balance.

"Unleash it to a single point. Do it! Now!"

_Thank you._

Haruno Sakura was just a girl.

"Focus! Repeat it again!"

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**And That's How It Goes**

_Fishing Koi in The Pond_

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Uzumaki Naruto waited below a maple tree, waving his hand frantically

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto jumped from his post.

"Ack, Narutooooooo!! Air! Air!" My face turned purple from his bear-like hug, that his strength matched.

"Sorry." Naruto soon released his hold, followed with my relieved sigh. "Ne, Sakura-chan."

"Hmm?" I rubbed my sore sides. Really, sometimes Naruto did not realize his own choke power levelTM. Or maybe, because it was just _me_...

"You are sparkling." His words caught my attention. My eyes perked up. His smiling eyes were bright and he wore a large grin.

"Err..., pardon?"

"You are _sparkling_," Naruto repeated, putting emphasis on the latest.

Because I sweat profusely and the sun was not helping? What? It's a possibility.

"How much sugar did you have this morning?" I asked.

"You are happy, you know, Sakura-chan," Naruto spoke between his smile, "I mean, really _happy_."

Hmm? Thank You? "I guess so." One of my eyebrow rose.

"Good." Naruto nodded in satisfaction. He extended his hand. "Shall we?"

I put my hand in his without a single thought. "Where?" I asked him.

"Where else?" He looked at me like a daft I was. "Ichiraku of course!" And thus more water fell down from my temple. I sweat dropped.

_Figure..._

We walked side by side through district 53, east side of Konoha. Not much changes in this city, except for several shops I have never seen before. Foreigners and nins in this town were more varied than the last time I was here. Alas, it was to be expected from a...temporary deserter. Me.

"Pineapple dango! Pineapple dango! Fresh cabbage and broccoli! Taste this newest new world entree!" Merchants and mongers and the likes voicing their goods. "We are available for any job! Negotiable!" And services.

I let my mind drifted away, tuning out my senses from immediate area. It was..., odd, to be back in civilization. I was so used to the quiet of mountains, chirping birds, and flow of the river. Make shift bed and camps, hut and logs of fire. It was different. Who knew five years felt that long? Longer even, it felt like forever. It was a fortune that I had not forgotten my hometown.

_How nice_. I bent my neck to the right, my fingers reached out to grab whatever thing that was to land on the back of my head. It was a wooden ball, hollow in the middle with web-like pattern on the outside.

"Gomen! Are you alright, nee-chan?" A small girl ran to me. Her purple obi clacked against the ground, making soft hammer-like rhythm. Her heart-shaped face stared curiously at me. It was subtle, but there was scared look in her expression.

I smiled. Sometimes children were too cute for their own good. "Hello there." I crouched, bringing me to her eyes leverage. I brought my hand up, the other hand down, palms facing forward. The little girl blinked.

"Hmm?" I stared, she paused there.

"Why is there wall here? Eh? Eh?" My hand halted in the thin air. The girl's curiosity peaked. My knees bent still in ninety degrees to my thighs, as if I was sitting on something. And with that, my grip shifted, both of my arms moved up and back, my palms followed en route. "Hey! Hey!" The girl's eyes grew wide with her smile.

"There are two balls!" She shrieked excitedly, following my arms movement.

I just grinned as I shifted one hand behind my back suddenly. The girl blinked again, "Na, nee-chan. Where are those balls?" Imaginary balls in her mind disappeared with the flow of my hand, in which her eyes transfixed to my one empty palm.

My hand rose, it pointed forward, and up. The girl followed my finger pointer. As she looked up, chocolate figure sticked on her forehead, rolling down to her chest, which she caught with her two hands. She laughed and hop in circle like a bunny rabbit. And there were applause_s_.

I looked around, suddenly realizing there were people around me, _watching_. They all clapped and smiled. And I just realized, that it was directed, to _me_. My cheeks redden. And here I thought I was not capable of blushing anymore. _Well..._, I brought one hand to my chest, bowed graciously, and deeply.

I grinned, and disappeared in a poof.

**000**

The view from Hokage sure made me reminiscence at old times.

_Those were good time_s, I smiled to myself. I sat on hard surface, laid my back on it while staring at the sky, inhaling Konoha air. Fresh pines and woods. Mmm... There were time when I slack-jawed, staring at ingenious creativity on Sandaime face. Or was it fourth? And there was Iruka, chasing little spiky blond as if the king of devil himself went hot on his trail. I snickered.

"That was some neat trick."

_Ah, speak of the devil..._

"Enjoying the show?" I questioned without looking back. I felt his grin.

Naruto sat beside me, crossing his legs. "Pantomime, Sakura? Really, I didn't know you wanted to be a circus performer when you were young."

I snorted and glanced at him. "I will gladly introduce you to one of my acquaintance. He makes great walking sticks for jii-san in retirement house."

"Ha!" Naruto exclaimed, slapping his thigh, "No respect to your elders! Young people these day..." He shook his head. It reminded me to one of Yamato-taichou's antics and I chuckled. Naruto tried to remain stern as long as possible, but it did not last long. His lips twitched and broke into a wide grin.

"I knew you had it in you," I said, giving him an evil eye, "Mr. Clown of the year."

"Oh? If I didn't know any better, I think you just insulted my ego, Sakura-chan."

"Did not."

"That rich, coming from _you_."

I shrugged back, if small movement on my shoulder could be called one. "What can I say? It was a figurative speech."

Naruto squinted, trying to deliver his don't-try-to-alter-the-conversation thingies with his eyes. "So, I heard you came back just yesterday," he said after awhile, "Guess what? And Ino was _sparkling_ when she spoke to me."

Ahh... "Is that so?"

Naruto gave me _The Look_. "Yes."

"I was preoccupied saving a-"

"Save it."

I wisely kept my mouth shut...

"And she looked _sooooooooo happy_," Naruto continued.

...which was odd after awhile that I gaped and clamped like a goldfish every time I tried to speak.

"I mean, there was my best friend, came in all of her best time, and in her best shape, through the best day and all, which I _didn't_ know. Or maybe it was just because I'm a male that used to live like a mule, chasing his best crush like a fool, and trying his best to support his _dear_ team-mate, on his best illusion that everything is going to be okay when the best time for his dear _female team-mate_ come to tell him important things."

Naruto shook his head in between his speech, sighing and gave me _The Look, _again. "But I'm not blaming _anybody_."

Ahh...., _crap_.

"It's okay you know," He interfered, "I'm _not_ mad."

I mentally listed three hundred and forty seven shinobi rules, according to the 16th paperback edition bingo book. It helped to mask my nervous expression, somewhat.

Naruto let out a long-suffering sigh. "I mean..., _Ino looked soooooooooo happy_."

I held back a groan, and failed miserably.


	3. Connoisseur: Part I

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**And That's How It Goes**

"_Connoisseur: Part I"_

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I found my way back to Hokage Tower in that winter and sunny day. I didn't bring anything on my hand. What were left on my journey home were a piece of paper and a pouch of herbs on my side, attached tight on my leg. It was a tedious C-rank in the outskirt forest of Konoha, just a few miles outside the border. There were several particular plants that only grew in bloody freezing December. I shrugged momentarily at the shadows looming across Konoha's rooftops. I could have sworn one of them gave a nod at the sight of me.

I stopped across my destination, silently observing the activities from the transparent screen on shishou's wall. Piles and piles of paperworks. I chuckled to myself, noticing the hippy blonde I knew for a long time. His face scrunched in deep concentration, and papers strewn across the floor all around his crossing legs. I sat then on the surface of hard bricks, my feet dangling freely to gravitation. My elbow supported my chin as I silently watched, amused at the rare sight. This was the first time I saw him seriously worked his way to the top, wanting to be the leader was surely not easy. I smiled fondly at the boy I considered as my family member, a brother I've never had.

He had changed. He was no longer the obnoxious hanging around my neck, tailing me everywhere. He had grown into a man.

I thought all of my comrade had. I stopped for awhile, giving a look to my surrounding for the umpteenth time. Konoha was the same, the people inside were the same, but they slowly changed; there wasn't anything in life that would stay the same. Every little step that they embraced, every legacy they held on, one rowed forward, another began; everything changed constantly. All the time.

And so did I. At least, that was from other people perpective. It couldn't be helped.

I remembered the day I've met him in that park, the same park where I met her. Was it a coincidence that two people I held close to my heart were found in the same place? I tried not to delve too deep about it, and it might be a coincidence that I was not aware of the stare given from my side.

Well..., I mused as Gamakichi kept looking at me, and finally acknowledged his endless stare with, "Hmm?", as I looked at him. He gave a mock salute and dissolved into a white smoke. Gamakichi _was_ here, so that makes either Jiraiya or...

I shifted my gaze back to my original destination and found he had just winked at me.

Ahh..., so that made shishou knew I was here. It's useless to stay here then. I made a single jump to the window canopy and opened the metal rail.

"Hokage-sama," I greeted my mentor, putting the transparent jar out of my pouch and a piece of paper contained the list of herbs on her desk. She gave me a simple nod.

"How was the walk, Sakura?" Shishou asked as she examined the content inside the jar.

_Uneventful_, that was for sure. "I met Kakashi outside the wall," I answered instead, "He went out with team ten. What was their mission about?"

"High D, just a straight sweeping at Konoha suburb."

I would have been scolded for my conduct seven years ago for asking this, but it was all different now.

"Hmm." I liked to say that, didn't I? An improved version for a simple 'Hn.' It sounded more elegant for me. I'd like to think that way. A single glance to the boy on the floor assured me that his grin was hidden from the paper he examined so seriously. I rolled my eyes.

High D? Had the mission standard risen as I gone from this place? Seemed like old system went back to the rooster. Oh well, it didn't have anything to do with me after all. I shrugged and was about to shunshin out of there when shishou called me.

"Oh, and Sakura?"

"Hmm?" I looked up, finding shishou stopped doing her paperwork and looking straight at me.

"Go to this place."

What? No 'Can you' or 'please'?

Shishou handed another piece of paper to me. I took it carefully and was about to read it as the interruption came at the second time. "Get me a package for the upcoming festival, would you?" I raised my eyebrow.

I merely nodded and sunshined away this time. As the swirling sensation brought me away then I remembered what was that nagging feeling at the back of my neck. Naruto didn't utter a single word when I arrived in Tsunade's office. Neither did he spoke as I stood for the debriefing. Hmm.

**000**

Shikamaru was bored. It went without saying as Team Ten walked in leisure pace at the crossed path.

"Excuse me, of all the graceness our team offer, but can we hurry this thing up?" Three pairs of eyes went up at the sudden exclamation from Yamanaka Ino.

"Ah, but Ino-dear," Kakashi ignored the death glare of the woman scorned, "It is such beautiful day to waste our breath on the soon to be accomplished job."

"More like _my_ job," Ino muttered silently. With all three laziest member of Konoha-nin, the woman almost sure to herself that she mostly acted as a team-captain for most of the time. It went from almost five years ago. _Ha, woman. You sure have to keep a leash on your cattle!_ Ino scoffed inwardly to her thoughts. Kami forgave her, but sensei's rambling was hardly placating her sour mood.

"What are you rushing for, Ino-chan?" Asked Chouji from her side, his tone gentle yet held a mild curiousity. Shikamaru slipped a single wild rose stem on Ino's hair. He was really bored, but Ino didn't expect him to do that; what with all troublesome movement to work on something.

"I was merely entranced on your visual aspect. Your reason of existence these days were a lovely charm, Ino-chan."

Ooookay….., that was freaky. "Are you on the right medication, Shika?" Ino stepped back a little discreetly. A flash of hurt came on Shikamaru's expression. It went out too fast for Ino acknowledged it as her own hallucination.

"Why, _this_ is me doing my job," said Shikamaru with one hand shooing an unseen mosquito, "and you haven't answered Chouji's question."

Ino stared, unable to summon a reply. She didn't know her lazy team-mate could be so…, poetic. Perhaps there was some side effect on her underdeveloped mind jutsu. The blonde haired lady had been intrigued. She herself had not heard such lines slipped from Shikamaru's lips. It was another though that had said a similar chain of words last night.

Her mood suddenly escalated at the thought. Well said, it felt like she had just reached the fifteenth cloud as she went to her fluffy bed with a neverending grin plastered on her face.

_It started two late afternoon ago in interrogation chamber when she was analyzing intricate pattern on missing-nin recent raids._

"_You can finish early, Yamanaka," Ibiki spoke without looking up from his own paperworks._

_Ino perked up. And here she thought she just looked forward to her job for the first time in that pathetic asylum; Shikamaru would be so proud. The boring and tedious papers must be caught on Ibiki, or he might just too happy on something to give her some type of insentive. _

_She tempted to say 'Really?,' but didn't want to waste her opportunity; what's with the infamous PMS-ing Morino effect…_

_Her hair on the back of her neck stood considerably. Did she forget something? Her feeling played important role at time like these. Ino tapped the base of her chin, followed with continuous finger lap dance on her table. Oh well…_

_Ibiki looked happy enough from the back. She had become expert in analyzing her boss' behaviour lately; it ranged from 97 to 98.99 percents, a subject to change._

"_Because you can dig a hole by keep giving me inconspicuous stares," Ibiki commented, this time he turned to face his subordinate._

_Very subtle._

_Ino shrugged. "Tsunade didn't choose me as Konoha diplomat without reasons," diplomatically saying._

_Ibiki let out a sigh and shook his head. "Go home, Yamanaka. Take a bath, get drunk, get laid or whatever; I don't care. I don't want to see your face until tomorrow."_

_She raised her hand in surrender. "Whatever you say, Chief, whatever you say." Ino collected her bag and ready to walk out from steadily increasing Morino effect. Always keep the umbrella before it rained; although chief's lonely back saddened her somewhat. _

_She shook her head inwardly by jumping in her imagination that was a bloody cold swimming pool._

_Better now._

"_And Yamanaka!"_

"_Yes, Chief?" A puzzled Ino dipped her head carefully._

"_I want twenty pages of explanation based on late Nidaime doctrine of why I shouldn't fire you out of here tomorrow! Have a nice weekend, Baby!!" His voice echoed in the hallway._

_She blinked. Oh well…_

_However her thought was interrupted at Anko's instant sight. "Is that the time of the month?" The snake mistress questioned cordially._

"_A kind of in not-so-really sort of way," diplomatically speaking._

_Anko nodded solemnly. "Hang in there kid, we can always count on you."_

_Ino nodded distractedly. That was of we, as in they, as in Morino's-ex-subordinate__**s**__. Plural; which translated as: Be a good virgin sacrifice to the Akuma. Traitorous bastards. _

"_I'll work on it," she replied jovially._

"_Yeah." Anko's eerie smile plus the pat on her head brought her reputation up to a notch. Yamanaka Ino with apple in her mouth, __careful: bite on sight__ meal ready to eat, QED._

_Speaking of meal…, unseen shadows began crawling at the base of her chin. She was so sure she'd forgotten something important. Meal associated with three biblical pattern of eating, which considering… Ino looked at her wristwatch._

"_What date is today?"_

_Ino looked up quickly as her expression grew in recognition. _

"_Yeah, date," Anko confirmed._

"_Date?"_

"_As in specific-point-of-time-in-the-month date." Anko grew exasperated._

"_Date?" _

"_YES!"_

_Ino blinked and exclaimed rather too loudly. "Date! DAMNIT!! __**I'M SOOOOOOOOOOO**__**DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!**__!" _

_No pun intended._

"Ino? Earth to Ino?" A hand was waving rather frantically in front of her face.

"Yesssssssss?" She looked to the source of the voice, unaware of the overly happy smile planted permanently during the last ten minutes on her face; what's with extra sparkle plus topping in her eyes and all.

"I…well…," Shikamaru trailed a moment with an awkward chuckle and sweatdrops while Chouji was lagging behind, feeling safe to put a distance. _That was pretty disturbing_, but of course being a healty man wishing to guard his life he wouldn't say that out loud.

Hatake Kakashi decided to intervene at this point. He laughed pleasantly.

"Well said, Ino!" Kakashi said in as-a-matter-of-fact way.

He had his share of women with rubber elasticity known as temper in his life; and his first infamous genin team didn't ecape his long history lesson. Experience _was_ such a wonderful teacher. He turned on his self-acknowledged charm. "Shall we continue our path to glory?" Kakashi continued.

"Yes, Sensei!" Ino happily answered; not before giving outwardly looked overcared Kakashi a massive bear hug. She marched forward with extra power.

"Path to glory?" Shikamaru whispered to Kakashi's ear after he made sure it was safe enough not to be overheard.

"It's a man's intuition. Works wonderfully for every woman in unstable mood." Kakashi nodded seriously and got back to walk in leisure pace. _And it saved my life in several life threatening situations with my first and official female student with monstrous strength._


End file.
